58 cafe and coffee logos creating a buzz

Everyone loves coffee, right? What’s better than sitting at your local coffee shop, ordering a cup (or three), and cracking open a book? You might even be thinking it’d be a great idea to own that experience, by starting your own cafe or roastery. Well, good luck! Coffee shops are a notoriously tough, saturated market to break into. (There are over 22,000 Starbucks, just in the US).

How do you stand out in a crowded field, whether you’re harvesting the beans in the field or pouring the cups in the café? That’s easy. First, make good coffee. (But you probably knew that already.) Second, create an outstanding coffee logo that catches the eye.

Hip, modern designs that look great on a coffee cup
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A flat, simple look for your coffee logo gives it a modern feel. Lots of startups use logos like this, and they drink plenty of coffee.

Looking beyond the style, consider the content of your logo. Coffee cups & beans are popular, because the clear iconography tells you what your getting. But if you’re a café and the logo is going on your cups, I’d advise against putting a cup in your logo. Otherwise, your patrons will wonder if they’re suffering from the Droste effect. (I bet you thought I was going to make an Xzibit “Yo, dawg” joke, but no, we’re far too high brow for that here.)

Logos from a bygone era
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Coffee has been a staple of breakfasts for hundreds of years. On a more personal note, you might remember waking up to the smell of your parents brewing coffee in your childhood home. Or, at the very least, you definitely remember that old Folger’s jingle…

What better way to tap into that nostalgia than with a classic looking logo?

There are a few good ways to evoke that feeling. For one, you can use a woodcut style of art. (I wouldn’t recommend using actual woodcuts; those take a while.) But again, the content can say a lot, too. Use classic imagery like kettles, potbelly stoves and steel coffee mugs.

Caffeinated coffee logos!
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Some people like the taste of coffee. Some people like to cover up the flavor with sugar, milk, whipped cream, and all kinds of crazy concoctions. (The drinks I prefer tend to be more like coffee-flavored milk shakes than actual coffee drinks.)

But when it comes down to it, Coffee is meant to give you energy. Your logo should have energy, too! So much energy!

Quirky café logos
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Artists, musicians, writers and performers of all stripes congregate in cafés all around the world. Even people who don’t do those things like to pretend they’re creative when they’re in coffee shops. Mirror that creativity with your own quirky, odd or just plain silly design.

Take us on a journey with your coffee logo
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As much as you might try, in most of the world it’s going to be pretty hard to grow a coffee plant in your backyard. That’s because the plants are native to the tropics. As such, much of the coffee we drink is sourced from countries in Africa, South America and the South Pacific.

Your coffee logo can remind people of the source of the beans through imagery and typography that evoke the country of origin. If your company is eco/socially conscious, a logo of this style is also a great way to communicate those brand values.

What’s your coffee (logo) order?
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No one flavor is better than another, but you gotta know what you (and your customers) will like. Are you a drive-through coffee shop who wants to give patron’s a quick jolt in the morning? Make sure your logo is highly caffeinated! Are you a roaster who specializes in fair trade beans from a specific village? Let your logo communicate your values.

Coffee may be a tough business, but it’s addictive (and worth the work). Make sure your branding grind is perfect with a delicious coffee logo.

Need a logo for your cafe or coffee-related business?

A logo design contest can get you dozens of ideas from designers around the world.

The author

Matthew T. Price has written on art, design, and cinema for websites such as The Daily Trojan, The Horror Honeys, Work in Entertainment, and more. He's also a filmmaker, having shot over two dozen short films, and a feature film, Other Halves. His work can be found at www.LittleToyBoat.com.